Mail-bag fastener.



I. L. HOOD.

MAIL BAG FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1909.

i2 Wness UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IRWIN L. HOOD, 0F CONSTANCE, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM WINKELMAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MAIL-BAG FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 21, 1913.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, IRWIN L. Hoon, a citizen of the United States, residing at Constance, in the county of Boone and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to bags and similar receptacles, and the object is to provide a fastening device for articles of this character which is simple in construction and etlicient in operation.

My invention consists in the combination of parts as herein set forth and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a cross section on the line z-z of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a bottom view of a device embodying my invention, the mail-bag being represented as cut away, and the parts in closed position being represented by dotted lines.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the bag, which may be of any well known construction, is provided, upon opposite sides of its mouth, with two plates 1 and 2a. The plate 1 is of angle shaped formation, with one of its members 1 taking over the mouth of the bag, and has ends 1". Inside this angle shaped plate 1, another plate 3 is contained, this plate being somewhat shorter than the distance between the ends 1 of the plate 1 and having ends 8, bent at right angles, which form knuckle joints with the adjacent members 4 of the hinges 4. The other members 4; of the hinges form knuckle joints with the members 4 and also form similar joints with the ends 5 of a plate 5 secured to the inside of the plate 2a. As here shown, the plate 2a is simply straight and flat and is adapted to come under the member 1, and between the ends 1 of the plate 1 when the bag is closed, the hinges 4 folding inward at the knuckle joints between their members it and il and occupying the spaces between the plates near their ends, as is represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The material 6 forming the mail-bag is embraced between the plates 1 and 3 at one side and between the plates 2a and 5 at the other side, and extends around outside the hinges 11 at the ends when the bag is opened.` The plates embracing the material are securely riveted together.

A shaft 7 extends longitudinally of the plate 1 inside and adjacent to its angles formed with its member 1, this shaft being journaled in brackets 7 mounted on the inside of the plate 3. 'I his shaft 7 has rigidly secured to it in its middle a wing z5, and at the sides of the wing 8 helical springs 9a surround the shaft with their ends 9 passing through it and bearing against the inside of the plate 3 so that they act to rotate the shaft while the wing S engages with the under side of the member 1 to limit their rotation. Gutside the brackets 7 at the sides, hooks 10 are rigidly mounted on the shaft in such position as to engage upwardly and to disengage when they are rotated downwardly by the shaft against the pressure of the springs 9. Thus, the hooks are normally held in engaging position by the springs. YWhen in this position, the plate 2 is under the member 1 of the plate 1, and the material 6 of the bag then passes around the hinges when the bag is open, and is drawn in between the members of the hinges under this member 1 when the bag is closed, so that all access to the bag through its mouth is prevented. The hooks 10 are so shaped on their ends that they automatically rotate downward to pass through the openings 11 in the hinge members. After they are thus engaged, the only access for opening the bag is by means of the ends of the shaft 7 through openings 12 in the ends 1 of the plate 1. For the purpose the shaft is illustrated as merely having its ends squared at 7 to receive a key, (not shown.) However, it is obvious that such a means of fastening the bag would be very easily duplicated and would afford small protection, and in practice, it is necessary to provide the ends of the shaft adjacent to the openings 12 with suitable locks of any well known secure construction, mounted in a manner to prevent the rotation of the shaft, except when it is manipulated by a key. Such locks being of various and well known constructions and their manner of application to the shaft being secondary to the improvements involved in this application, further description is unnecessary herein. It is sufficient to state that when any form of lock and key is used, the key is inserted to manipulate the lock, and then turn the shaft 7 to release the hinge members from the hooks and allow the opening of the bag.

The opening of the bag is accomplished automatically after the hooks have been disengaged by means of springs 16 coiled around the pivots 16 of the knuckle joints between the hinge members 4 and 4, and having their ends attached to said members near their joints with the ends 3 and 5 of the plates 3 and 5, respectively. Each hinge member is of channel shaped formation, opening downwardly, and the material 6 passing around the hinges is embraced in the channel shaped formation at 17 loosely to slide therein, and allow the free opening and closing of the bag. Stops 18 are provided at the knuckle joints between the hinge members to oppose the action of the springs 16 on the hinges and hold the hinge in a straight line when the bag is open.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the plate 2a is of channel shaped formation, having a member 2a extending inwardly of the bag at its top and having ends 2a, this member and these ends being adapted to pass under the member 1 and ends 1 of the plate 1 on the other side of the mouth of the bag when the bag is closed. A plate 5 is mounted inside the plate 2, terminating Short of its ends 2 and having knuckle joints connecting it to the hinges 4, as hereinbefore described, this plate being securely riveted to the plate 2a with the material 6 of the bag between them. Inside this plate 5, under the member 2a of the plate 2a, are mounted keepers 11a, securely riveted to the plates 5 and 2a. The shaft 7 on the plate 1 has hooks 10a, adapted to engage upwardly and disengage downwardly, each having a recess portion 10b upon its upper side and said hooks being beveled at 10c to form sliding engagement with the beveled part of said keepers and these hooks being adapted to enter the lower ends of the keepers 11a and automatically engage inside of them t0 hold the bag shut. Rotation of the shaft to draw the hooks downwardly will disengage the hooks from the keepers, and the bag will open automatically by the operation of its hinges 4, which are constructed as hereinbefore described. rI`he hooks 10a are located so that the hinges clear them when the bag is closed, the hinges occupying the space between the hooks and the ends of the bag. The spring 9a shown in connection with this illustration is in one piece having coils surrounding the shaft 7 at both sides of the wing S, but being connected thereacross b a transverse part 9a which engages witi the under side of the wing 8 to normally press the wing 8 upward and hold the hooks in engaging position with the keepers 11a. The other ends 9" engage with the inside of the plate 3.

The plates 1 and 2a, are provided with staples 19 on their outsides near the ends of the bag to hang the bags in the racks as usual, and the member 1 of the plate 1 is provided on its upper side at its middle with a ring 20 for hanging the bag on the mail catchers.

A mail-bag provided with my improved fastening, as herein described, will be convenient to open and close, the closing being accomplished by merely pressing the two sides of the bag together. When thus closed, it is impossible to open the bag eX- cept by manipulation with the proper key, so that ample Security is afforded. This design being peculiarly adapted for a construction entirely of metal, the Strength and lasting qualities of the fastening are aS- sured. Free access to the interior of the bag through the elimination of projections 0n one side thereof is accomplished as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 where the member 2a eX- tends over and covers the keepers 11a which i project inside the plates.

Having fully described my invention,

` what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mail bag, a plate secured at one side of the mouth of the bag, keepers secured to said plate interiorly of the bag, an angular plate on the opposite side of the mouth of the bag, a shaft rotatably mounted on the interior of said angular plate and extending longitudinally thereof, hooks rigidly mounted on said shaft and adapted to move therewith, a wing fixed on said shaft and a spring adapted to exert upward pressure against said wing to normally hold said hooks in engagement with said keepers, to lock the bag, substantially as set forth and for the purposes specified.

2. In a mail bag, a plate secured to one side of the mouth of the bag, keepers secured on the inside of said plate and eX- tending at right angles to the vertical wall of said bag, an angular plate on the opposite side of the mouth of the bag, brackets secured thereto, a shaft rotatably mounted in said brackets on the interior of said plate and extending longitudinally thereof, hooks rigidly mounted on said shaft, and adapted to rotate therewith, a wing fixed on said shaft and adapted to move therewith, helical springs surrounding said shaft and bearing against said plate and said wing to normally throw and hold said hooks into engagement with said keepers, and means to disengage said hooks from said keepers, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mail bag, a plate secured to the edge of the mouth of the bag at one side and having a fiange extending inwardly therefrom, a plate secured to the edge of the mouth of the bag at the other side and having a fiange projecting inwardly therefrom and adapted to extend over the fiange on the opposite side when the bag is closed, keepers secured on the inner vertical side of the first mentioned plate and having their lower edges beveled, a shaft rotatably mounted on the interior of the other plate and extending longitudinally thereof, hooks rigidly mounted on Said shaft and adapted to move therewith, said hooks having the recess portion upon their upper sides and being beveled at their ends to form sliding engagement With the beveled part of said keepers,

and springs adapted to normally hold said hooks in locked engagement with said keep- 10 ers, substantially as set forth and for the Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C." 

